Dozens of long-serving Bentley workers have staged a protest in a row over their pension.

They held the demonstration outside the car giant's Crewe HQ at lunchtime today after receiving a letter warning them about planned changes to the firm's pension.

The review affects 1,200 members of the Rolls Royce and Bentley Pension Fund (RRBPF) which has a deficit of at least £500 million. One worker said: "We've had a letter which tells us the company is going to start consultations about changes to the pension. "We understand they are looking at the potential closure of the scheme. This protest is only the start. I expect people will become even angrier as they hear more of what may happen with their pension."

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"Although entering into a consultation is not an easy step to take, and no decisions have been made, the RRBPF deficit is more than £500 million and the cost of funding the scheme has increased by 50 per cent in the past five years. While funding is in place to secure members’ contributions, the ongoing level of financial risk is unsustainable. "It is important to look at this now because we want to ensure all aspects of our business are prepared for the future. It is essential that we are in a strong position to invest in new products and technologies, like electrification, to help maintain our future competitiveness.

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"We understand the concern that the 28 per cent of our colleagues – who are members of the RRBPF – may have and that is why we are entering into a consultation with them. We want to find and agree the best possible outcome for the company and all our colleagues."